The COVID 19 relief package announced by the USDA includes $3 billion in planned agricultural product purchases and $1.6 billion in direct payments to pork producers. Nebraska Pork Producers Association President John Csukker says while the aid is appreciated, more is needed given the depressed markets.

He says the direct aid while providing some assistance probably isn’t enough to keep some pork operations from going out of business.

Csukker says the COVID 19 pandemic has compounded the economic woes pork producers have been experiencing.

Csukker says one of the problems with the direct payments is the limitations of $125,000 per commodity and $250,000 per individual and that doesn’t match up with what pork producers are losing at $37 per market hog or $5 billion collectively.